Rep. Andy Biggs, a Republican U.S. representative from Arizona, posted a statement on May 3, 2026, expressing concern and prayer for two U.S. service members who went missing while participating in a multinational military exercise in Morocco, Africa. His comments came as the U.S. military and allied forces continued an active search-and-rescue operation in connection with the incident during African Lion 2026.
In his full post on X dated May 3, 2026, Biggs wrote: “I’m praying for the safe return of these two U.S. service members, who have gone missing overseas. May God return them to their loved ones very soon.” The message explicitly centered on prayer for the soldiers’ safety and their return, reflecting concern over their status as search operations continued abroad.
Andy Biggs is a conservative Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona, serving since 2017. He is known for his membership in the House Freedom Caucus and his focus on issues such as border security, oversight, and judiciary matters, and he has frequently taken strong positions on national security-related policy issues during his tenure in Congress.
The missing service members are two U.S. Army soldiers who were reported lost during operations connected to African Lion 2026, a large-scale joint military exercise involving U.S., NATO, and African partner forces. According to a statement released by U.S. Africa Command, the soldiers were reported missing on Saturday near the Cap Draa Training Area in southwestern Morocco, along the Atlantic coast.
The training location, near the city of Tan Tan, Morocco, was hosting activities tied to African Lion 2026, an annual exercise involving approximately 5,000 personnel from more than 40 countries scheduled between late April and early May 2026. The incident occurred during field activity in the coastal training area as multinational forces conducted coordinated exercises.
According to reporting summarized from U.S. military officials, the two soldiers were on an early evening hike at a training range when an accident occurred. At least one of the soldiers is believed to have fallen from a cliff into the sea. Nearby personnel attempted a rescue effort, including forming a human chain down the cliffside, but a large wave reportedly swept additional individuals into the water during the attempt.
Initial accounts indicated that one of the individuals who fell was eventually rescued, while two others remained missing as of the latest updates. The situation prompted an immediate and large-scale search-and-rescue response involving both U.S. and Moroccan forces.
U.S. Africa Command confirmed that coordinated search operations were launched immediately following the report of the missing soldiers. Assets involved in the operation include ground teams, ships, reconnaissance drones, helicopters from multiple countries, and naval frigates supporting both search and recovery efforts in the coastal region.
The command stated that the incident remains under investigation and emphasized that the search is ongoing. Officials also noted that priority is being placed on the service members and their families as multinational forces continue efforts to locate the missing personnel.
Search operations have included Moroccan SA-330 Puma and AS332 Super Puma helicopters, a U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopter, surveillance drones, and naval assets from both Moroccan and French forces. Additional support has come from mountain and dive teams operating in the rugged coastal terrain where the incident occurred.
The African Lion exercise, during which the incident took place, is among the largest annual military training operations conducted on the African continent, involving coordinated land, air, and maritime exercises designed to strengthen interoperability among participating nations.
In the wake of the incident, public statements from political figures such as Biggs have focused on the uncertainty surrounding the missing soldiers. His post emphasized prayer for their safe return and for their families during what military officials have described as an active and ongoing search effort.
As of May 3, 2026, U.S. Africa Command had not released the identities of the missing service members, and officials stated that additional information would be provided as it becomes available while search-and-rescue operations continue in Morocco.